The Play That Goes Wrong

I somehow ended up on a Broadway mailing list, and every day I’m emailed offers for discounted theater tickets. I keep willing myself not to read the emails, but invariably I end up opening them, deciding I really want to see the show, and before I know it I’m buying tickets. It’s more addictive than online shopping!

Comedy on Broadway is tricky. The Book of Mormon is one of the few shows that was funnier than I expected. Usually, like with Something Rotten and Avenue Q, the production doesn’t quite live up to the hype.

So I was curious whether The Play That Goes Wrong would actually be funny.

It was!

Photograph courtesy of The Play That Goes Wrong

The opening had the audience cracking up, and the laughter continued throughout the entire show. I had complained the laughter in Kinky Boots felt forced, and this was the exact opposite experience. You could tell the audience genuinely loved it!

Photograph courtesy of The Play That Goes Wrong

The show followed the production of a play (much like Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap) where everything that could go wrong did. The actors hilariously forgot their lines, missed their cues, and had to avoid a set that was falling apart around them. Not even the corpse could act correctly, and kept forgetting to play dead!

“You all have my deepest sympathy. Much love and I hope you all find something worthwhile to do with your lives.” – Nathan Lane

“Better luck next time!” – Stephen Colbert

“I’m so, so sorry for all of you.” – Neil Patrick Harris

Photograph courtesy of The Play That Goes Wrong

Much of the show’s humor is slapstick, and even though this isn’t my favorite type of humor I still really enjoyed it. My only criticism is that because I don’t love slapstick humor, the 2.5-hour production did feel a little long.